Data storage cartridges comprise data storage media such as magnetic tape, for example wound on at least one reel; such as optical disk, for example, CD, DVD, HD-DVD, other optical disk media; hard disk drive; floppy disk; flash memory; etc.; as are known to those of skill in the art. In many instances the data storage cartridges additionally comprise a cartridge memory. The cartridge memory may comprise a rewritable memory, or a write once memory, or a rewritable memory having a portion thereof which is protected to be write once. The memory may be operated by a processor. Further, the cartridge memory may comprise a communication interface for communicating externally of the data storage cartridge. The communication interface may have an antenna for accomplishing the external communication. The cartridge memory may be positioned within the data storage cartridge so as to orient the antenna to allow access by an external interface, for example, of a data storage drive which is also adapted to read and/or write data with respect to the data storage media. Additionally, the cartridge memory may be positioned to also be read by other external interfaces, for example, of a picker of an automated data storage library, the library arranged to transport the data storage cartridge between storage shelves and one or more data storage drives. The cartridge memory may comprise an internal power source, such as a battery, or may receive power through the communication interface, or a power interface, as is known to those of skill in the art. Typical capacities of the data storage media allows the media to be partitioned.
Data storage drives read and write data with respect to the data storage media, and may provide an interface to read and/or write information with respect to a cartridge memory of the data storage cartridge.